Our paragraph topic is: (Their distorted religion) Part 13.
You see, it had come to this, gold and silver, precious metals, and jewels were more valuable in the eyes of the religious than the kingdom of heaven. They did not place much value on the temple and the sacred items in it. They did not value the altar but they placed value on the gold and silver placed on the altar. They did not place value upon the temple itself but on the gold that the temple was made of which is how their religious beliefs had become so distorted.
These were the leaders who taught the people what to believe! How wrong could they be? They despised Christ for telling them that their beliefs were distorted and that they had it all wrong. This is why he had to tell them also: "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it."
They had no idea that they were swearing by God himself. They had no idea that they were telling their followers that their bond with God was nothing when they swore by the temple. They had no idea that they were encouraging the people to break their vows that they were making with God himself, thereby bringing forth the wrath upon themselves. The people only knew that they were following the rules and the laws that were handed down by their religious leaders.
They were sheep being led by their shepherds. And we prey today that God has given us a true shepherds to lead us along the right path to the kingdom of heaven. Of course the ultimate choice is up to us to follow. The ultimate decision is within ourselves if we want to believe what we hear each Sunday. And the choice is up to us if we want more than what we hear each week. If our hearts desire to know more about our heavenly Father, it is up to us to seek him out. If our hearts yearn to feel the truth of his love it is up to us to delve deeper into the knowledge that is available for us. All we have to do is knock on the door to have it opened to us.
And if we truly want to know him all we need do is get on our knees and ask him. We have to be patient to get his response. We have to listen quietly to hear his voice. We have to know that he speaks when he calls us in that soft voice that fills us with joy and happiness. We have to rejoice in his presence when he comes to us with the gifts that he gives us each and every day through the spirit of his heart. For he is a loving Father, and he is a devoted Savior, and they have an everlasting Guide that will be with you until your time to return home.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
Our paragraph topic is: (Tribute to Caesar) Part 12.
So finally they heard the words from Christ as to whether one should give tribute to Caesar. You see they thought that if Christ said that Christians should give tribute to Caesar then that meant that they should worship Caesar as their god. They believed that Caesar was a god and that there was no other god except him. But Christ was teaching that there was one and only one God above all including Caesar. So they wanted to hear his words on this matter so that they would have ammunition for their case against him.
They did not know the truth of who he was. They were indeed learned. They were indeed learned in the scriptures, in the Jewish Laws, and text handed down from the time of Moses. But they did not have the wisdom of God within them. They did not have the insight of the Holy Spirit upon them that they could interpret the truth in the scriptures. They only had the words before them and the directions of those who wanted to destroy the living word of God. Christ spoke his words to them. And hearing this they marveled, and leaving him went off.
He set them on a different course. They wanted him to be on one course with Caesar at the head as one god. But he separated the course and gave them two to follow: Caesar or the living God. The Jews knew the living God. He had walked with Abraham, guided Moses, lead them through the desert and into the promised land. He had protected them and fed them through the forty years, fought the Egyptians to protect them from slaughter. So they knew their God and what he could do. Yet they lived under the rule of the Roman Empire and they knew what the Emperor Caesar could do.
They were fearful. Their rulers sought not to know but only to maintain the status quo, to go along with what was being handed to them through the rulers of the Roman Empire. The Son of Man came to walk among them and the everyday people felt his presence. They saw his miracles. They heard his words. They walked with him, touched him, lived with him, breathed the same air that he did. His presence was upon them and they knew. But the rulers did not.
Each day we live is our trial. We wake to carry our cross, to be tested as to if we will or will not give way to the temptations that we face. Will we waver, will we doubt, will we give up hope? The light within flickers and shines less bright. Yet we must carry on. We must not falter. We must find the strength, the courage, to believe, to know, to trust that we are not alone. We must know that the sacrifice of love and passion was not for naught. One light shining from a distance can barely be seen, but many shining together light up the universe. Remember, we are not alone. He is with us each day, each hour, each and every minute of the day. We must seek him out and hear his voice within us. Christ is with us.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
Our paragraph topic is: (Power of faith) Part 4.
It is amazing what Christ did for the disciples. He taught them about the things that come from the kingdom of God. He demonstrated for them the power of words, his words. And he told them that they could do the same if they did not waver in their belief. This was the lesson that they had to learn. This was the lesson that they had to remember after he had ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father.
They were amazed and astonished at the miracles he performed. They believed that he was the Messiah, the Son of God, and that he had the power to do many things. They did not know or believe that they would be able to do the same. Yet he gave them the instructions that they could follow. "And all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you shall receive."
What do we pray for? Is it money? Is it to pay our bills? Is it to feed our families? Is it to keep our home and not be set out in the street? What is it that we pray to God our Father and ask for? After we pray do we believe that he will hear us and answer? Do we believe that he will provide? If we want it now do we believe that he will provide now? If he does not provide for us now do we continue to believe or do we waver and give up our hope and belief in him?
We are humans in nature and do not know how to ask for that which will provide for our future. We are humans and do not know what will truly make us happy. We are humans and do not know what will bring us true peace. If we ask for a snake, do you think that our father would give us a snake? If we ask for something that he knows will not bring us peace do you think that he would give to us that thing that will create chaos in our lives?
Yet we ask for those things that we know not how they will affect our lives in the future. We pray not for humility. We pray not for patience. We pray not for forgiveness, love, mercy, hope, faith, piety, etc, those things that will help us to be more like him. We know not. We only know what is in this world and what we believe, by what has been given us, will satisfy and help us. He know the truth. He knows the way. He knows the love and the peace that we need. He is our father and he gave us and continues to give us life. His lesson is seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. Ask, in prayer, believing, and it shall be given to you. Do not give up five minutes before the miracle happens. Patience is the key. Belief is the door that will open your heart.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ . The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
Our paragraph topic is:
(The mother of James and John) Part 5.
The mother of James and John came before Christ and made her demands for her sons. She spoke what they would not speak. She asked that her sons be seated with Christ on his left and on his right when he comes into his kingdom and sits upon his throne. She believes that they deserve the place of distinction. She knows, in her mind, that they are worthy of such an honor above all the other disciples. They were the first to follow him. They were the first to believe in him. They were born to the role that they now follow as disciples of Christ, the Messiah.
All their lives the Jews have waited for the time when the Messiah would come. Their history told them of this time. They believed that he would come and redeem them. They knew of the promise made by God but did not know the time that it would take place. So they lived their lives in expectation of what would happen. And when it did happen not many knew or believed that the time had come. But the apostles James and John believed. They knew that he would come and they prepared all their lives for the time when it would happen. And that time had come and they were a part of history in the making. Yet little did they know what they were a part of. And little did their mother know what would come. She only knew that he had come and now was the time for redemption. So she came and made her request thinking that the redemption would be of an earthly or worldly event. But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you are asking for."
And certainly they did not understand what they were asking. They thought that he would come and overthrow the rulers. They thought that he would come and create armies and take back all that was stolen. They thought that he would come and be declared a new king over all the rulers. But they were mistaken. He did not come to conquer the world. He did not come to destroy the rulers of the world. He did not come to be served as a king. He came to become a lamb. He came to be sacrificed. He came as an offering to compensate for the sins that man had committed. And they thought that they wanted to be with him in his sacrifice.
They did not understand that they were asking to be a sacrifice. They did not understand that they were asking to suffer and die. They did not understand that they were asking to be scorned, beaten, bruised, battered, mocked, and crucified on a cross to suffer and die. For this was the price that had to be paid for the sins that had been committed. This was the price that had to be paid for redemption. This was the price that was due for all the wrongs that man had committed against the commandments of God. And they thought that they wanted to be a part of this price that had to be paid.
Can we say the same today? Do we want to be a part of the price that Christ paid for our redemption? Do we want to suffer? Do we want to deny ourselves? Do we want to be beaten, mocked, suffer and die for what we believe about the Christ that came to die for us? Is that something that we can accept? Most would say no. Most would not think of suffering. Most would not think of sacrificing themselves for someone else. Most would not be able to see the good in those actions. Yet it is through the suffering, the pain, and the sacrifice that Christ was able to save me and you and all mankind from damnation.
We were dead and now we have life. We transgressed and now we are forgiven. We were lost but now we are found and redeemed. It is only through acceptance that we are able to find that which was lost. It is only through recognition that we can come to the light. It is only through sorrow that we can come to joy. And it is only through the search that we are able to find that which was originally ours in the beginning. The path is open. The way is fixed. The light of life is within you if you only seek. For Christ has paved the way. All we have to do is follow. The choice is ours to make. Redeem what was lost or loose what was taken away. Only you can make the decision. Come! Christ awaits with open arms to receive you with love.
Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.
